Likely, though, it's not what you think. I mean, if you think the controversies were things like a young child being stalked by evil ghosts or being endangered by his own father, then you would be wrong. Somehow, as strange as that sounds, today, people managed to accept both those premises.
The first controversy had to do with the novel, itself. King's publisher lobbied long and hard for King to not even write it. After the success of Carrie and 'Salem's Lot, Doubleday was worried King would get typed as a ... horror writer! There's some irony for you. The Shining went on the be King's first hardback bestseller.
The second controversy was the title; people just didn't get it. People had heard of visions, as in the Bible, and they had heard of precognition, as in ESP, but "shining?" What was that? Did King just make that up? It wasn't until 11 years after The Shining was first published that King explained. He took the title from a John Lennon song, "Instant Karma!," where Lennon suggests we, like the moon, stars, and sun, "all shine on."
Of course, the big controversy was the Stanley Kubrick film. Generally considered one of the greatest horror films of all time, it nevertheless diverged significantly from King's novel. King was not shy about expressing his disappointment. The irony, here, is that the popularity of the movie likely drove book sales through the roof.
It seems that "shining" has always been a bit controversial ... as we see in this week's Lectionary scriptures. When Moses came down from his mountaintop meeting with God, his face was positively glowing ... really glowing. Let that sink in for a minute; try to picture it. Even in this day of CGI movies, seeing someone like that in real life would be disconcerting. Moses was so bright, the people were afraid. He had to wear a veil for quite some time, until the glow had faded away.
Then, in another of this week's passages, Jesus takes his inner circle up the mountain where He is transfigured and, He too, is left glowing after encountering God there. I wonder how long that glow lasted? Scripture doesn't tell us, but one thing we know, they didn't come down from the mountain until the next day.
Both "shinings" reappear in the Corinthians passage. Paul references them and then declares that we believers can let go of that old, fading shine of the Law of Moses; that, because Jesus has “removed the veil,” we can turn and face God, ourselves. We no longer need some intermediary to trek up the mountain on our behalf.
We should have no fear of the shining, the real shining. It's God's light pouring through, making us the shining.
Shine on.
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PHOTO: https://images.nasa.gov/details-GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000084.html
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A version of this reflection appeared in 2016 as The Shining.
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Transfiguration Sunday (March 3, 2019)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=116
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)
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Perky? I don’t think so. Not all of us are morning people, bright and shining when we first face the day. That's what breakfast is for. Join us for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast Friday morning at 8:00. We gather for a great hour of relaxed fellowship and scripture at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant.
Enjoy the week!
Steve
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